New Casio G-Shock celebrates 50th anniversary with gorgeous, classy colourway

When we think of the best watches on the market, there are a number of different things to look for in a popular brand. While some may favour finishing or materials, many look to heritage as an indicator of quality.

There's certainly logic behind that, too. If a company has several years of work behind them, you'd expect them to have worked out what makes a watch, ahem, tick.

Shop this great Amazon Prime Day G-Shock deal!

That's why there is so much celebration going on for the 50th anniversary of Casio. We've already seen the Casiotron being re-released to mark the first watch produced by the brand.

But let's be frank – that's not what most people associate with the brand. No, far more people would think of the classic Casio G-Shock 5600 model. The square-faced icon has been a part of the watch community for decades, and is loved for its ruggedness and reliability.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the brand, it also acquires some dashing good looks. Here, the watch sits as part of the full metal series, with a sumptuous blue and gold bezel.

That makes for an unusually classy look for the piece. While traditional G-Shock's have retained a sporty appearance, they rarely manage to have the elegance of dive watches from the likes of Rolex and Omega.

That is somewhat bridged here, with a premium stainless steel case and bracelet which just oozes quality. As mentioned, the bezel is finished in a gorgeous blue hue.

That sits around a textured gold inner bezel, with a fluted pattern. That, in turn, surrounds a gorgeous grey brick pattern, which sits outside the main display itself.

You'll find a full suite of modern bells and whistles on this model. It's packed with both Bluetooth and Multi Band 6 connectivity, making this just about as accurate as it is possible to make a watch. 

The Bluetooth allows for connection with your smartphone, and will – among other features – pull an accurate time from the internet connection there. Alternatively, Multi Band 6 connects to radio towers around the world up to six times a day, to ensure they keep to strict time.

You'll even find Tough Solar on board, to help keep the watch charged over long periods. Simply point it towards the sunlight and it will top up the battery. It's even 200m water resistant to boot.

Priced at $700 (around £540 or AU$1,030) this certainly isn't the cheapest G-Shock in the range. However, it is a limited edition model, and one of the nicest I've seen at that. If you're in the market for a premium G-Shock, look no further than this.